Linen in January

If you are going somewhere warm for your holiday this January, or are just tired of flipping through the sale racks full of black pants, black tops, and black dresses, then visit iniam this month as we start receiving new items for Spring and resort season (which is now, in case you didn't know). On the racks already are classy wide-legged white linen pants by Ya Ya (think Katharine Hepburn) paired with a pale gray merino wool belted sweater by BCBG (though it looks quite sweet sans belt). The sweater is thin enough to carry you through chilly nights in the summer but works for winter as a cover up for drafty rooms (such as in my house). Wish I had a photograph of it, but it's so new even BCBG doesn't have a photo yet! We also have some linen blouses and pants from our customers' perennial favorite, Theory. Pants are in a slate blue and blouses are button up white linen and pale beige linen.

Sale, Rea, Soldes, Salg

No matter what language you say it in, a sale is a sale, and more often than not, they occur in January. iniam is no exception. We marked down most of our merchandise at least 20% and some even more...you will find even some of our recent arrivals in the sale rack...! Pick up a Botkier hobo bag, some Tory Burch togs, a Philip Lim top, or a Cynthia Steffe dress quicker than you can pull out your debit card. We also have a load of denim on sale: James Jeans, Chip & Pepper, and Hudson...as well as our Tocca bath and beauty products.

Why? To make way for new spring things and a few new lines we are looking at stocking the store with... Stay tuned!

Tory Burch Shoes on Sale

Tis the season to let our Tory Burch flats go at 30% off...we have the Reese Ballet flat in gold and green, and the classic Reeve Ballet flat in black. Also, if you are looking for the perfect stocking stuffer, look no further than our soft James Perse tanks...great for layering under bulky sweaters or for riding shotgun in your convertible this summer. We are offering a small discount if you buy a trifecta...originally $120, you can take three home for $108.

Little Brown Tag

At iniam we've decided to make finding a bargain easier by putting these simple tags on sale items. Look carefully, as they will be mixed in with regularly priced items and may save you up to 40% off!

Another good place to look for deals is our BLOG (yes, right here) or sign up for our email list at www.iniam.com and you will be the first to know of any sales or special events at iniam.

Speaking of sales, we are offering our Tory Burch shoes at 20% off until they are gone, which looks like it won't be long...

Statement Candles

While I was in the Caribbean lying blissfully unaware of anything but the sound of waves and the waiter saying "would you like another mojito?" we received some extraordinary candles from Chrome Angel. These are not just your run of the mill smelly candle; they are infused with gardenia, pomegranate, cucumber, and roasted chestnut - the latter which smells like a cross between maple candle and roasted nuts is currently making me drool. Some of the thick and long burning candles are adorned with a metal butterfly, fluer de lis, or a dragonfly embedded with Swarovski crystals which are strapped to the candle with leather or tied with a silk ribbon. These embellishments are as big as my hand. From what I understand, the company suggests burning the candle down about an inch or so and then you can use it as a candle holder, just placing a tealight inside where the candle has burned already. Or, if you can't bear to leave it on your nightstand, you can wear the decoration - one of them is a lovely cross slung from a silk ribbon which matches the candle. The prices are not for the faint of heart, though originality and beauty has a price.

Thanks and Giving

It's been a bit of a stretch since we last posted a blog entry but with our sale a week ago and Thanksgiving festivities, everyone at iniam has been as busy as I-580...but not too busy to be thankful for all that we have (especially new clothes!)...for instance:

- Cynthia Steffe beautiful holiday tops
- Our customers (no doubt)
- Sparkly jewelry by Azaara
- The great weather in the Bay area
- Philip Lim patent leather bags
- Hudson cords (black and gray)
- Our new employee, Ashley
- A wonderful venue to host private events (call us for more info!)
- Did I mention our customers?

As for the giving part, iniam has joined up with several retailers in the Rockridge area for a Holiday Shopping Night on Thursday, December 13, 2007 from 5-8pm...Join Rockridge retailers for discounts, food, gifts, drinks, and stress free shopping on this evening only. I will make some special treats for the evening!

iniam Introduces...

The debut of www.iniam.com is official...on it you will find a link to our blog (which is where you are now), a quarterly newsletter, and exclusive sales and promotions available to those who check our site and/or subscribe to our offerings via the Web page. On the Web site you will also find a little more information about our events. We have three reasonably-priced options, which generally work like this: You and your friends (or your fund-raising committee would like to get together to celebrate (an engagement, a new baby, a birthday, a new pair of shoes) but you don't have time to execute such a fest (buy the food, wine, matching napkins, party favors, etc.) or you don't have the urge to clean your house to a party-satisfactory degree. Answer? An iniam event! We provide the food, atmosphere, cocktails, and the main activity (besides catching up with each other or raising money) - shopping. Incentives (um, discounts) are given to the host(ess). We can accommodate any needs or desires in order to make your event easy as well as special.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Jane Tran hair jewelry arrived today just in time to hoist my unkempt hair up and out of my face...I was transformed from a rumpled troll to a sales associate worthy of working at iniam! I'm sort of reaching here, but I think the effect of Jane Tran's elegant hair accessories has something to do with her B.A. in Psychology from Northeastern University...is it possible she is the only woman in the world to truly understand what a bad hair day means? Every time the store receives these headbands and barrettes, they are gone quicker than you can say 'my hairdresser made me look like Jennifer Aniston.'

A Ray of Sunshine

Brrr...as the weather turns cold, the clocks get turned back, and the clouds seem to hang over the Bay area like the veil of doom itself, our new shipment of Trina Turk will reinvigorate you. Gracing the sleeveless dress (see photo and fabric inset) is a cascade of silk orchids with sequining around the neck which makes your face positively sparkle!


We also received gold and/or silver pants (it's hard to tell which because these pants match with both grays and golds) in the Leesa style, a staff favorite because they fit most women; they have a natural waist (meaning not too low and not too high). To top them off, literally, is a sweet sleeveless keyhole top in a creme brulee yellow.

The cashmere sweater (see photo) looks amazing with a pair of the new Phillip Lim high-waisted jeans...it's sort of fitted at the hip and the sleeves gently bell out; it's pretty sexy as far as sweaters go...and did I mention it is cashmere? Soft as a baby's bum.

We are looking forward to getting some winter white marshmallow-y, cashmere-y cardigans from Cynthia Steffe in the next couple of weeks and other goodies as well. But for now, Trina Turk's lemon fresh outlook will keep me inspired throughout the cloudier than thou days ahead. Sigh.

(photos both borrowed from Trina Turk Web site)

The Art of Fashion

The de Young museum's exhibit on the one and only Nan Kempner, arguably the best dressed San Franciscan native, bestows 75 of her ensembles on the public until only November 11th, so you'd better get there fast before it leaves for MOMA. Um, if someone ever encompassed the term "clotheswhore" it probably was Mrs. Kempner (though I say this lovingly, not disparagingly); her first couture piece, purchased from Yves Saint Laurent in 1958 (white satin dress with matching mink trimmed coat) was paid for by her mother, who orginally refused to buy it at the requested price......until Kempner shed some tears for the young designer who relinquished it to her for a more affordable price.

Since then, Kempner collected more haute couture than every Vogue magazine spread collectively. For 50 years (she died in July 2005) she scooped up the best from Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, and Oscar de la Renta (among others) and maintained one of the most remarkable collections in the US. I know most of you are thinking about the size of her closet (well, I am anyway) and apparently the curator at the de Young was too, as he sifted through the stash.

Sigh. And I thought what's-her-name (Gaby, must husband just informed me - all husbands know Gaby) on Desperate Housewives had a nice closet. Anyway, for anyone interested in fashion, see this exhibit. Or better yet, start your own collection at iniam. One designer who started out about the same time as iniam almost three years ago is Phillip Lim; get him while he's still affordable.

p.s. Yesterday we received a new shipment of 3.1. Phillip Lim high waisted denim trousers, gorgeous festive headbands with feathers, black puff sleeve tees with enamel buttons, a sassy marigold and navy tank, and patent leather belts...)

(photo taken by Mike Dumlao at the Met)

Little Black Dress

Even if you already own an LBD (Little Black Dress) certainly this is one item of clothing which quantity AND quality supercede one over the other. On Friday we received two versions of Cynthia Steffe's LBD. The first is sexy and elegant with cap-sleeves (for those with upper arm phobia) and a knee length sheer cut floral fabric (almost lacy) over a nude slip which makes it look see-through without it being see through. This dress has a fetching jewel neckline with jet black beads placed strategically below the sheer inset on the front of the dress, with a slight gathering at the chest to flatter most women. The few who have tried it on were surprised by it's flattery because on the hanger, frankly, it's not so thrilling. It's so new, I can't locate a photograph of it on Cynthia Steffe's Web page.

The other dress uses a similar fabric but the style is all ballerina. The sleeveless top is black and fitted, sort of like a bodice, and the bottom is a gathered skirt of the same sheer floral fabric over a nude slip. Quite romantic in fact. There are small black beads where top meets bottom. We tried it on with an Ila & I diamond and silk necklace and waited for our prince to come...however, it was just the UPS guy.

Out with the old, in with the new

Spent too much cash on last weekend's martinis? Not feeling the urge to splurge on a that new blouse you can't stop thinking about? The frugal (and oh so California environmentally friendly) solution is to recycle your fuddy duds, your "skinny" clothes, or the items in your closet with permanent creases because they have never been freed from their wire hanger. There are several consignment stores in Oakland and Berkeley which take such disenchanted clothes...This accomplishes two things 1) you earn money (obviously) to buy new clothes and 2) you organize your wardrobe.

Editing or organizing your wardrobe can be monumental, particularly if you have a troll-sized closet (like me) or just too many damn clothes. One method of harmonious closetry (is that a word?) is to hang like colors together. If you are in a hurry to get dressed, this can make for quick outfit-making. It will also highlight what is missing from your wardrobe (i.e. "gee whiz, I have twelve brown skirts and no shirts to match"). Or, you can go the other route if space is at a premium - categorize: bottoms grouped with bottoms, and tops with tops (and you can even sub-categorize by putting pants together, skirts together, etc.).

I wish it were that simple. Your closet reflects not only how large the space is, but how you think and how you put yourself together in the morning. Are you a grab and go? Are you a methodical nudge? Are you a clotheswhore? Do you keep everything in one place? What about your tights, underwear, sweaters, jackets, or scarves? Where are they? Sigh.

If you need help, iniam offers closet consultations where we come to your house and help you fill in the blanks, hone your personal style, and offer hands-on closet counseling.

(Wish it were my closet! Above photo by me).

Want

Spring is in the air - at least at the fashion shows in Paris this week - and it seems to be a decidedly yellow forecast for 2008. I've been checking out the ready-to-wear collections and can hardly wait for the lemony, buttery, creme fraiche-y, pound cakey yellows to arrive from Tory Burch or Tracy Reese or 3.1 Phillip Lim. But yellow seems so...so gauche right now. Like dormant perennials, Spring clothing always arrives in the nick of time to save us from despair amid the short winter days, but how can store buyers even think about yellow in mid-October?

This weekend I feverishly deleted the airy cotton and linen frocks from my closet and stuffed them in their pandora's box to be opened sometime in April. For now, I am satisfied drooling over the deep jewel-like tones of Mint's beautiful silk party top (my nickname, not theirs because once you see it, you will understand). I mean, whoever tries it on looks like a beautiful rare gift. In raspberry silk, the (lined) top fits snugly under your boobs, but the silk falls delicately away. It looks smashing with (naturally) black, but also could pair nicely with denim (or white, or brown, or gray, or navy, or beige...you get the idea). Keep the jewelry simple though; the top says it all. What does it say? It says I'm the only one with this gorgeous top (we are only carrying three in three different sizes) and I shop at iniam.

Bags and Bagels

Saturday mornings evoke relaxed indulgences such as fresh bagels and casual shopping without the frenzy of leaving work on a Friday to get to ye favorite store before the employees turn off the lights and smile apologetically....just as you grab the door handle. On that note, I will share with you my bagel recipe and new arrivals at iniam, so you can shop and cook this Saturday morning and feel more smug than the shopgirl who closed the door in your face last night.

Bagels, from Nigella Lawson, are no fuss, impressive, (like the the new bags I will describe below) and as addictive as the New York Times "Sunday Styles" (of which I will write about tomorrow).

6 2/3 cups flour
1 tbsp salt
1 package rapid rise yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oil plus a little more
2 1/4 cups water
2 tbsp sugar for poaching the bagels
oiled baking sheet

Combine flour, salt and yeast in bowl. Mix the oil and sugar in the warm water. Add to flour and stir until unmanageable with a spoon. Knead until a smoothish consistency and the dough springs back when poked. This dough should be tough to knead, not soft and squishy like reguar bread dough. Spend 10 minutes or so kneading. Put in oiled bowl, put some plastic wrap over bowl and/or a tea towel, and set in an un-drafty location to rise for an hour. After the hour is up, punch dough and divide into three pieces. Roll each piece into a snake and then cut into five chunks. Take each chunk and work it into a doughnut shape (roll it on your counter) except there should NOT be a wide hole in the center. Pinch the ends together so the dough doesn't fall apart. Make it look like a bagel basically. Put those on your oiled baking sheet and cover as you make them. When finished, let them rise a little more til they are slightly puffy. At this time, boil your big pot of water.

When the water boils, add the additional two tablespoons of sugar to water. Two or three at a time, put your bagels into the water and let boil for 30 seconds each side (flip them with the nearest utensil). After this is done, put them in your pre-heated oven (put on highest temp.) and bake for 5-10 minutes. Eat them hot!

After you are done eating, come to iniam and see the new bags we received from Bahay Bags (Bahay means "home" in the Philippines, where the bags are handwoven). Lovely little bags, they are made of natural materials such as raffia, pandan, sabutan, bamboo, and buntal. The designer happens to be an Oakland local. All things aside, these are what the vendor terms as "city meets straw," adorable with whatever cute little dress you have, and lend a bit of whim and earthiness to your wardrobe. We particularly love the pink and natural clutch which is quite stunning with some of our festive clothing. As for the bagels, try to make them before your husband stands up in your attic and thus creates a hole in the ceiling of your living room...I'm just saying...

(Photo borrowed lovingly from Bahay Bags Web Site)

Speaking of Denim...

Either I am psychic (see previous post) or I work at iniam (um, or perhaps both) but a giant shipment of denim arrived today from James Jeans! Arriving just in time for rainy weather are three styles: a high rise dark denim boot cut, a regular rise straight cut and a high rise ink black corduroy, also straight cut. If I could cover the earth in corduroy, I would, and I would probably do it in this fabric --- it's like buttah, thin-wale and soft as a baby's bum. We also have the same cords in midnight blue which looks pretty hot with your tall boots. What? No tall boots? We don't sell them (yet) but you should get yourself a pair in either chocolate brown, black, or camel or all three like I have.

Denim

It's the most common question at iniam; what kind of jeans should I buy? Before you take the plunge, let's go over a few things.

1) Think about what you look you want...dressy? game day casual? club-going worthy?
2) Consider your body. Is your body made for low cut, high cut, boot cut, flares, relaxed cut, or skinny legged jeans?
3) What color do you want? Today's denim, in case you haven't noticed, comes in more colors than a Pantone wheel.
4) Come to iniam with a little time to spare. Finding the best fit takes time, so if you are rushing from the bank during your lunch break, forgo the search for denim. Come after work (we are open until 6pm) and spend a quiet moment trying on every pair of jeans in the store. Leave the toddler at home if possible, although sometimes bringing an 8 year old can wield loads of truth-telling (NOTE: I was recently at my friend's house advising her on what to wear to a literary event and her 9 year old said upon her appearance from the closet "Mom, you look Spanish AND tall." Needless to say, she wore that outfit that evening!)

And don't despair if you can't find the perfect pair, because it takes time. At iniam, we will help you find a pair that fits right. Currently we carry Hudson but we will be carrying other lines soon!

Who wears the pants?

At iniam, we don't just wear the pants, we sell them...and currently we have some great wide-legged trousers from BCBG Max Azaria. In black or grey, the waist is slightly low, but not obscene and the front slant pockets don't add bulk to your hips (a nice feature we think). In addition, the wide waist band secures whatever may lie beneath. Made of mostly wool, (thin and not itchy) the Tabatha Pant has become our best-selling pant for Fall.

(photo from BCBG Web site)

Chilly days

The chilly mornings this time of year in northern California are not quite offset by warm days. In fact, just staying a moment too long in the shade can present a brrrrrr during the month of October. iniam's Vince sweaters are a cozy (and may I say stylish) solution to frosty fingertips while selecting the perfect pumpkin from ye local farm stand (um, see pumpkins on the left - I will upload a sweater photo later). Made with cashmere and lambswool, they are still quite affordable and if you have ever encountered a Vince sweater, as many of our customers have, you know they are worth every penny.

(Photo by me)

If the shoes fits...

Tory Burch waves her magic wand of sophistication and comfort and creates a shoe that combines French ingenue with American sass and comes up with the Reese Ballet Flat in shamrock green...available (naturally) at iniam. We also just received a cardigan from Tory Burch in the same verdant color.

Also in the Tory Burch lineup at iniam is the Betty Pump (in black - looks great with Trina Turk dress -- see previous post). Did I mention the Reese Ballet Flat also comes in gold? Gold shoes? Gold shoes are the new pink. Get them at iniam.

(photo from Tory Burch Web site)

Fall 2007 arrivals

Growing up in New England, the thick smell of fireplace smoke and the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot always arrived simultaneously with the new lineup of Fall clothing (and buying school supplies)...and here at iniam, it's no exception...

Trina Turk (see left) blesses us again with perennially wearable silks (tunics for this season) and her perfectly cut black pants, which for some exciting reason, fit most women. We've also just received a new crop of Hudson denim which complement our cozy and stylish Vince sweaters.

(Photo from Trina Turk Web site)